Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha formally congratulated the next U.S. president yesterday while his pro-establishment supporters appealed to him to stage another coup.
In his message disclosed by the Foreign Ministry, Gen. Prayuth stressed the long relationship between the two nations and praised Joe Biden for winning the trust of the American electorate.
“To the Honorable Joe Biden, I wish to extend to you and Senator Kamala Harris my warm congratulations on your election victory and the trust that you have earned from American voters,” read the message. “Thailand, as the first treaty partner of the United States in Asia, takes pride in our strategic partnership which contributes to our mutual benefit and the region’s peace, stability and prosperity.”
He added that he was “looking forward to working closely” with the new government “to further enhance cooperation at all levels.”
With the kingdom beset with a robust movement against Prayuth’s ongoing rule, those with fewer democratic compunctions plan to gather today at the Prime Minister’s offices and Royal Thai Army headquarters to deliver letters urging the former junta leader and army commander Narongpan Jitkaewthae to stage another coup d’etat.
Organizer Krit Yeimmethakorn yesterday told reporters that it’s an alternative way to solve the political impasse apart from the “reconciliation committee” signed off on by the parliament and promoted by Prayuth, who staged the previous coup in 2014.
“We will be a long-lasting people institution that helps our nation, government and its officials give the correct history of Thailand,” Krit said, implying that the pro-democracy movement was influenced by propaganda. “We have to educate people focusing on the King’s philosophy.”
Thepthai Senpong, an MP with the center-right Democrat Party, this morning reminded the public that a coup is a severe crime punishable by the death sentence or life in prison.
Just last night, police hit protesters with water cannons for the second time in a month as they sought to deliver letters to the king at the Grand Palace. Circumventing a sizable police force, protesters reached the gate of the palace and to read their joint letter aloud.
“The three demands of the people are the utmost compromise,” it closed, referencing calls for Prayuth to step down, the constitution rewritten, and the monarchy reformed.
“The three demands of the people are the utmost compromise,” closed the joint letter to the king. #ม็อบ8พฤศจิกา #ประชาสาส์น #ราษฎรสาส์น #whatishappeninginthailand pic.twitter.com/HCzmEsTOmS
— Coconuts Bangkok (@CoconutsBangkok) November 8, 2020
Biden fans in Bangkok are invited to a Democrats Abroad victory party starting at 5:30pm on Tuesday at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand.
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